Electric clock striking mechanism.



'No. 760,895. PATENTED MAY 24, 1904. B. MEYER. ELECTRIC CLOCK STRIKINGMECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 24. 1903. v

1 N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 0319.03 Zdiarzeaaes: v

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No. 760,895. PATENTED MAY 24, 1904. E. MEYER.

ELECTRIC CLOCK STRIKING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 24. 190s.v

H0 MODEL. 7 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

mawbams PETERS coi, mow-mum. wAsmnz-Jon. n. c.

Patented May 24, 1904.

PATENT @EEICE.

EMIL MEYER, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA;

ELECTRIC CLOCK STRIKING MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 760,895, dated May 24,1904.

Application filed September 24, 1903. Serial No. 174,394. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMIL MEYER, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Swissvale, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inElectric Clock Striking Mechanism, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inelectric clock striking mechanisms, andrelates more specifically to anautomatic annunciating device to be electrically actuated and employedin connection with suitable clocks or time-indicating mechanism.

The object of the invention is to provide means for the announcing orindicating of the time at a plurality of difierent points by the aid ofa single clock or timepiece; and to this end the invention consists inemploying one or more annunciators adapted to be located at anydesirablepoint or points and each electrically connected to a clockcommon to all and which clock is adapted to complete a circuit to causethe annunciator or annunciators to sound an alarm announcing the hoursimultaneously with the announcing of the hour by the clock ortimepiece.

The invention resides in the novel construction, combination, andarrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more specifically describedand then particularly pointed out in the claims, and in describing theinventionin detail reference is had to the accompanying drawings,forming a part of this application, and wherein like numerals ofreference will be employed for the designating of like parts throughoutthe different views of the drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a sideelevation of the annunciator mechanism, showing the casing in section.Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof, showing the casing in longitudinalsection. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the circuit breaking wheel. Fig. 4is a central longitudinal sectional View of the annunciator, and Fig. 5isa diagrammatical plan view showing aplurality of the annunciatorsconnected to a single clock.

As heretofore stated, the invention aims to operate a plurality ofannunciators from a Single clock. By this means I may place anannunciator in each room of a building and electrically connect eachannunciator to a common clock, whereby each of the annunciators willannounce the hours at the same time the hours are indicated or soundedby the clock.

The mechanism embodied in the annunciator is preferably mounted on asuitable base 1 and inclosed by a suitable casing 2. The mechanisminvolves two supporting standards or housings 3 of a form which willpermit of the mounting therein of the various arbors or shafts carryingthe different elements involved. These elements will now be described indetail.

4 is an arbor or shaft, on which is mounted a ratchet-wheel 5. Thisratchet-wheel carries on its one face a series ofcircumferentiallyarranged pins 6, adapted to actuate the tappermechanism to sound the gong, as will be more fully described. This shaftor arbor ialso carries a pinion 7, which meshes with a gear 8,that ismounted on an arbor or shaft 9, journaled in the standards or housings.On this arbor or shaft 9 is mounted the circuit-breaking-wheel 10,provided in its periphery with notches, in whichis fitted insulationmaterial 11 11. In Fig. 3 I have shown a diagrammatical plan view ofthis wheel, showing how the spaces between the insulation graduallyincreases to conform to the hours from two to twelve. Mounted on thebase 1 is the actuating-solenoid 12, the core 14 of which is connectedat its upper end by a cord 15 or other flexible connection to thesegment 16, carried on the end of a lever 17, that has its other endrigidly fastened to a shaft 18, journaled in the standards or housings3. Also rigidly connected to the shaft 18 is a lever or rod 19, on whicha weight 20 is adjustably mounted. The lever 17 carries a pin 21, andthe rod or lever 19 carries an arm-22, which pin and arm operate inconnection with the circuit-breaker mechanism, as will presently appear.Pivotally connected to thelever 17 is a rod 23, having a pawl 24:

on its lower end for engagement with the A spring 25, attached to therod ratchet 5. 23 and to the shaft 18, serves to keep pawl 24: in normalengagement with the ratchet,

and a stop 26, attached to the lever 17, limits the lateral movement ofrod 23 under the tension of the spring. A practical and convenient formof construction is to connect the rod 23 at its upper end to a yoke orclevis 23, that is pivotally attached to the lever 17. Mounted in thestandards or housings 3 below shaft or arbor 18 is a shaft 27, whichcarries a trip-lever, the longer arm 28 of which is adapted to beengaged by the pin 21 and the shorter arm 29 of which is adaptedtoengage with a dog 30, carried on a shaft 31, journaled in arms 32,carried by the standards or housings 3. This dog 30 carries an arm 33,which is adapted to be engaged by the arm or finger 22, carried by red19. A brush 34 is provided for engagement with the circuit breaker wheel10, this brush being carried by a piece of insulation 35, attached to anarm 36, which is carried by a shaft 37, mounted in the standards orhousings 3. The tension which this brush exerts against the wheel isvaried by means of an adjustable weight 38, mounted on the arm 36. Thestandards or housings 3 3 are tied together by means of cross-bars39 4O41, preferably made square in cross-section, as shown, and placedbetween the standards or uprights and the latter bound thereto by screwsinserted through the standards or uprights into the ends of thecross-bars. The cross-bar 39 carries a pin 42, to which is attached oneend of a spring 43, having its other end attached to the trip-levercarried on shaft 27. A pin 44 is attached to one of the arms 32 and hasconnected thereto one end of a spring 45, the other end of which isconnected to the arm 33 of the dog for holding the said dog normally inposition to be engaged with the end of arm 29. The other arm 32 carriesa buffer 46, which acts to limit the upward movement of rod 19 and ispreferably provided with a cushioning material 47 on its underneath facefor the rod 19 to engage with. A circuit-breaker 48 is supported by abracket or arm 49, attached to one of the standards or housings, saidbreaker being engaged by a spring-contact 50, carried by the shorter arm29 of the trip lever. Mounted in the standards or housings 3 is a shaft51, one end of which is extended beyond the housing or standard on thatside and has mounted on its extended end the hammer-arm 52 forengagement with the gong 53 to sound the latter. This gong or bell ispreferably arranged outside the casing 2, which may be accomplished bymounting the gong or bell on a post 54, passed through the side of thecasing and threaded or otherwise suitably connected at its inner end toone of the standards or uprigl'its. \V hen this gong is so mounted, itwill be necessary that the hammerarm be extended through the side of thecase, and a slot of sufficient size to permit the vibrating of thehammer-arm will be provided in the side of the casing. The shaft 51 hasmounted thereon a finger for engagement with the pins 6, carried by theratchet-wheel 5, whereby to rock shaft 51 and cause the tapper to strikethe gongor bell. The rocking movement imparted to this shaft 51 islimited by an arm 56,which is rigidly mounted on shaft 51 and strikesagainst a stop-pin 57, carried by one of the standards or housings. Astring 58 is attached to cross-bar and bears against pawl 56. Backwardmovement of the ratchetwheel 5 is prevented by a spring-pawl 59, carriedby cross-bar 41. Mounted on the base 1, preferably outside the casing 2,is a pair of binding-posts 6O 61, connected, respectively, bycircuit-wires to the minute-hand 62 of the clock and to contacts 63 and64, located at the hour and half-hour points of the clock-face. Mountedon the opposite end of the base 1 is a pair of binding-posts 65 66, towhich is connected the two terminals of a source of electrical energy,such as battery 67, by circuit-wires 68 and 69, respectively. A wire 70leads from binding-post 65 to one terminal of solenoid 12, the otherterminal thereof being connected by wire 71 througlr the junctionplate72 andwire 73 with the brush 34. A

wire 74 leads from the. junction-plate 72 to the binding-post 60, whichis connected with the clock, as heretofore stated. A branch wire 75 fromthe binding-post 60 leads to the contact 76 of the actuating-key 77,which key carries the contact 78 and has a wire 79 connected with itsrear end and grounded on the frame 3. A wire 80 leads from thebindingpost 66 to one terminal of the circuit-ln'eakcr 48, the contactbeing grounded on the frame 3. The circuit-breaking wheel 10 is alsogrounded on the frame of the machine.

The operation is as follows: Assuming the device to be in the positionas shown in the drawings, the brush 34 will be resting on a portion ofone of the blocks of insulation 11 in the wheel 10, and by following outthe circuit it will be seen that it is necessary to somewhere completethe circuit through the solenoid in order to actuate the mechanism. Theclock in a position, say, such as shown, (a few minutes after twelve,)the minute-hand 62 in the course of its rotation will connect withcontact 64, at which time the circuit will be as follows: from battery67 through wire 68 to binding-post 65, through wire 70 to and throughthe solenoid 12, thence through wire 71 to junction-plate 72, throughwire 74, bindingpost 60, through wire to contact 64, thence through thepointer or hand 62, wire 61 to the binding-post 61, through wire 7 9 tothe frame of the mechanism, through lever 28 and contact 50 of thecircuit-breaker to contact 48 and wire 80 to binding-post 66, throughwire 69, back to the battery 67. This energization of the solenoid willdraw the core 14 thereof into the same, thus pulling down lever 17through medium of the flexible connection 15. This lever 17 as itdescends brings pin 21 into engagement with the outer end'of lever 28,carrying saidlever along with it, elevating part 29 of said lever, whichis caught and held by the dog 30, thus breaking the circuit by reason ofthe disengagement of contact 50 from the one terminal of thecircuit-breaker 48. The lever 17 will then be returned to its normalposition by the action of the counterweight 20, and upon returning toits normal position the finger or arm 22, carried by the rod :19,contacts with the arm 33 of dog 30, whereby to actuate the dog todisengage it from the part 29 of the lever, and said lever is returnedto its normal postion by the action of spring 13, thus restoring thecircuit by again making connection between contact 50 and upper terminalof circuit-breaker 48.

In order that an audible or visual signal may be given at each descentof the lever 17, the pawl 24, carried by the rod "23, engages one of theteeth of ratchet-wheel 5, and the said lever in descending will move thesaid. ratchetwheel forward the length of one tooth. One of the pins 6,carried by said ratchet-wheel, will during this movement contact withand actuate arm 55, secured to shaft 51, giving the same a partialmovement against the action of spring 58, which bears against arm 56.This movement'of the said shaft may beused to actuate any signal device;but, as shown, I have adapted the same to a single-stroke bell, and inthis case the'arm 52, which carries the hammer or tapper, is suitablyconnected with the shaft, as shown in Fig. 2. It will thus be seen thateach time the ratchet-wheel 5 is actuated the said hammer will be raisedto a point where the pins 6 will ride past the end of arm 55, the spring56 then forcing the hammer against the bell or gong 53 to sound thesame. To return to the energization of the solenoid 12 through themedium of the clock, the minute-hand 62 will now be supposed to be incontact with the terminal 63, and the circuit being the same as beforedescribed the solenoid will be again energized, and when the lever 17has reached its lower position the said circuit will have again beenbroken at the point where the contacts 48 and 50 are located,

as before described; but the hour-hand of the clock now pointing to thethird hour it is desired that three distinct signals shall be given, andto carry out this operation the shaft 4, upon which the ratchet 5 issecured, has secured thereon a small pinion 7, which meshes with thegear 8, secured to the shaft 9, on which the circuit-breaking wheel 10is also mounted. It will thus be seen that at each actuation of theratchet-wheel 5 the pinion 7 will act on the gear 8, thereby rotatingthe circuit-breaking wheel 10, this actuation of the circuit-breakingwheel being so geared with relation to the ratchet-wheel that it isnecessary to have ninety consecutive movements of said ratchet-wheel foreach revolution of the circuit-breaking wheel 10, this being for thepurpose of permitting sufii'cient divisions in said wheel 10 to properlyactuate the bell-ringing mechanism, so that the same will strike eachhour and half-hour. The circuit having been completed at the third hour,as described, the brush 3 L passes off the insulation-blockll, (on whichit has been resting for the striking of the half-hour and the firststroke of the hour,) when the circuit will be as follows: from thebattery 67 through wire 68, binding-post 65, wire 70, to and through thesolenoid 12,wire 71, junction-plate 7 2,wire 7 3, brush 34,circuit-breaking wheel 10, frame 3, lever 29, contact 50, contact 48,wire 80, binding-post 66, wire 69', back to the battery 67. It will thusbe seen that the striking of the bell will be continued until such'timeas the brush 34 has again been moved onto an insulation-block 11 in thecircuit-breaking wheel 10. This having occurred, then minutehand 62 inpassing the half-hour will again complete the circuit first described,one stroke of the bell resulting therefrom, and the hand then passingaround to the hour position, where the first stroke of thenextusucceeding hour willbe completed by the first-mentioned circuit,the succeeding strokes of the hour being accomplished through the seconddescribed -circuit. The insulation-blocks 11 are so' placed in thecircuit-breaking wheel 10 that one of the ninety movements thereof isadded between each succeeding block of insulation until the point atwhich the full twelve strokes of the bell is'reached. The block 11following this point on the wheel is of a greater length than thebalance of the blocks in order that the half-hour after twelve oclock,one oclock, the half-hour after one oclock, and the first stroke of twooclock, all of which are single strokes, may be completed through thefirst-described circuit.

In order that the circuit-breaking wheel 10 may be placed in a positionsynchronous with the hands of the clock, I provide the key 77, theconnections for which were hereinbefore described, which key may bedepressed,whereby the contacts 76 and 78 will be connected, and thecurrent instead of having to pass through the clock will pass from thebindingpost through the wire 75, through the before-mentioned contacts76 and 7 8,and through wire 79 to the frame of the machine, therebycompleting the electrical circuit through the solenoid, which isnecessary to carry the insulation-block in the wheel 10 past the brush34. By this means the said wheel may be rotated to such a position thatthe brush 34 may rest on any desired position of any of theinsulation-blocks 11 or block 11.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the character described an electromagnet, an armaturetherefor, a pivoted armature-lever connected to said armature, a

pawl carried by said pivoted lever, a ratchetwheel engaged by said pawl,a disk provided with insulating-sections and revoluble by saidratchet-wheel through intermediate gearing, a signal operativelyconnected with said ratchet-wheel so as to be sounded at each movementthereof, a lever carrying a brush in contact with said disk, a pivotedswitchlcver, an electric contact carried thereby and a latch adapted toengage said switch-lever and movable by said armature-lever, an electriccircuit connecting the electromagnet, the brush, the disk, theswitch-lever, a source of electric energy, and a clock adapted to closethe said circuit at intervals, thereby energizing said electromagnet andcausing it to actuate. said ratchet-whecl, substantially as described.

2. In a device of the character described, a clock, an electric circuitincluding said clock, a source of electric energy and an electromagnet,said circuit being closed at intervals by said clock, a step-by-stepmechanism adapted to be operated by said magnet, a signaling deviceadapted to give a signal at each movement of said step-by-stepmeehanism,a switchlever carrying an electric contact in connection withsaid electromagnet and a lever connected to the armature of theelectromagnet and adapted to engage and operate said switchlever eachtime the magnet is energized to break the circuit through the magnet,whereby the electromagnet will be automatically energized, anddeenergized successively, and successive signals sounded so long as thecircuit through the clock is maintained.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a clock,contacts arranged on said clock at the hour and half-hour positions ofthe minute-hand and electric circuit having one terminal connected tosaid contacts and the other to the minute-hand of the clock andincluding a source of electric energy and a solenoid, a disk providedwith conducting-sections of varying area means connected to thesolenoid-core for imparting progressive movement to said disk, anelectric contact opened and closed by the movement of thesolenoid-coreand a signal adapted to sound at each movement of saidsolenoid-core, said disk and said contact being in circuit with thesolenoid whereby the signal will be sounded when the circuit iscompleted through the clock a number of times depending on whichconducting-section of said disk is in electrical connection with thesolenoid.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of a clockelectrical connections thereto and means for maintaining a circuitthrough said clock during a lixed time at regular intervals, a source ofelectric energy and a solenoid in circuit with the clock, an annunciatoroperated by said solenoid and means whereby the solenoid will beautomatically and successively energized and deenergized and theannunciator sounded a successively increasing number of times as thecircuit through the clock is successively completed.

, 5. In an annunciator, the combination of the standards or housings, acircuit-breaker wheel, a brush for engagement with the said wheel, asolenoid, electrical connections between the brush and the wheel, alever connected to the core of the solenoid, a trip-lever, acircuit-breaker, and a contact carried by the trip-lever for engagementwith the circuit-breaker.

6. In an annunciator, the combination with the actuating-solenoidconnected to a source of electrical energy, a circuit-breaker wheel, abrush for engagement with said wheel, connections between the solenoidand the wheel, a circuit-breaker, a trip-lever, and a contact carriedthereby for engagement with one terminal of the circuit-breaker, apivoted lever, connections between the core of the solenoid and saidlever, a gong or bell, and means actuated by the pivoted lever forsounding said gong or bell, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

EMIL MEYER.

WVitnesses:

H. (J. EVERT, A. M. WVILsoN.

